Massive California power outages may begin early Wednesday

[MULTIZ321]

Massive California power outages may begin early Wednesday.


https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/10/08/us/pge-power-shutdown-california/


Richard

 

[b2bailey]

Massive California power outages may begin early Wednesday.


https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/10/08/us/pge-power-shutdown-california/


Richard

My daughter who lives in one of the named counties, has been telling me about it. She is a CPA and working on Tax exemption deadline of 10/15.

I thought, oh it will be rolling blackouts. But no, a notice said it could be off for up to a week. Schools are closing. Insane.

 

[VacationForever]

Many years ago my former CEO of a Fortune 50 company called California a third world country when California was implementing rolling black out. He was contemplating pulling the IT headquarters out of California then. He has since retired and has a ranch in Montana.

 

[SmithOp]

yeah California is a horrible place, stay away!


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[davidvel]

This is payback for the large settlement PG&E had to pay for its negligence in failing to keep its system safe. Basically, "If you want our system safe, it has to be shut down," instead of clearing vegetation and brush, installing appropriate circuit breakers and all sorts of other safety implementations that cost the company money.

SDG&E did the same after the massive wildfires in San Diego. They were called to task for it and have implemented more limited shutdowns based on actual local conditions.

 

[VacationForever]

$11 billion would have gone a long way to improving infrastructure instead of waiting until disaster struck and then having to pay victims and families.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We are on solar and will get shut down also because we feed into PG&E. If this persists, will buy a battery to go off grid because we send excess power to PG&E. Other than nat gas, we don't need PG&E electricity.

 

[pedro47]

The power outage is now been reported on all the major television networks this morning on the east coast.

 

[geist1223]

I wonder how many timeshares are going to lose their power? I doubt they have suffcient generators or solar power to stay open. How will they compensate the folks that had Reservations?

 

[klpca]

Well, as inconvenient as it is, it sure beats the heck out of killing unsuspecting people. We dealt with two fires (2003, 2007) and I still get nervous during Santa Ana's. We also have solar and have looked into getting a battery so that we can more easily go off of the grid but haven't done it yet. Here's a photo from the 2003 fire, taken about 3pm from our back yard. It was the Cedar fire and 15 people lost their lives. If we can avoid something like this I am all for it.

 

[klpca]

My daughter who lives in one of the named counties, has been telling me about it. She is a CPA and working on Tax exemption deadline of 10/15.

I thought, oh it will be rolling blackouts. But no, a notice said it could be off for up to a week. Schools are closing. Insane.

I would expect that the IRS will extend the extensions for something like this. But what a PITA!

 

[MULTIZ321]

Millions of Californians Face Power Outages in the Largest Preventive Blackout in State History.


https://time.com/5695835/california-wildfires-preventative-blackout/


Richard

 

[Luanne]

I wonder how many timeshares are going to lose their power? I doubt they have suffcient generators or solar power to stay open. How will they compensate the folks that had Reservations?

You know I'm more concerned with the people who live there full time, the businesses and places like hospitals.

 

[geist1223]

You know I'm more concerned with the people who live there full time, the businesses and places like hospitals.

To each their own.

 

[Luanne]

To each their own.

Well having friends and family who DO live in those areas impacted I am definitely more concerned about them than someone who might have their vacation plans upset. So yeah, to each their own. I go with the residents.

 

[MULTIZ321]

No traffic lights and days of darkness. Here's how life has changed inside Northern California's power shutoff.


https://www-m.cnn.com/2019/10/10/us/california-power-shutoff-qa/


Richard

 

[VacationForever]

I feel badly for the residents in the affected area. I hope power is restored soon.

 

[geist1223]

I saw one News Report that said even after the Wind stops. It could take the Power Company several days to inspect all their lines, transformers, etc before turning on the power.

 

[WVBaker]

"Last year's devastating Camp Fire that killed 85 people and destroyed thousands of structures was started by electrical lines owned by PG&E. The company filed for bankruptcy in January as it came under pressure from billions of dollars in claims tied to deadly wildfires."

"To avoid being blamed for another wildfire, some utilities have decided to cut power during high winds when the fire risk is elevated."

In other words, "To avoid being blamed for another wildfire", this should read, to avoid being sued for another wildfire".

 

[Passepartout]

PG&E is pushing people to go solar (or make home generators a necessity) by this tactic. It's unconscionable to force customers of this monopoly to search other sources because they refused to update 100 year old technology.

Time for some legislated competition.

Jim

 

[pedro47]

I just wish it would rain or snow in Northern Calif.

 

[Passepartout]

I just wish it would rain or snow in Northern Calif.

Wishing won't end a drought. The West is getting drier while the East is flooding. Long time planning, like depending on river flows and dams to provide dependable electric power, and building housing and cities that crowd rivers and other watercourses will have to be re-thought.

Empty reservoirs and rivers don't make electricity, and after how many '100 year' floods do you decide you have to let nature put a river where SHE wants it.

Jim

 

[SmithOp]

PG&E is pushing people to go solar (or make home generators a necessity) by this tactic. It's unconscionable to force customers of this monopoly to search other sources because they refused to update 100 year old technology.

Time for some legislated competition.

Jim

Going solar does nothing to alleviate the problem of transmission lines touching in high winds and causing sparks/fires. What new tech is available? Do you expect them to bury miles of cable over rural hills and mountains? New developments in CA are all underground utilities but power still has to travel from the power plant to get there, solar only feeds excess back into the grid.

I’m not trying to be an apologist for power companies but it seems a case of damned if they do or dont. Expecting politicians to legislate a fix is a fools errand.


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[Passepartout]

But going solar will keep your lights on and your food in the fridge/freezer from spoiling.

 

[bogey21]

I don't understand California. It seems like they get hit with everything, Earthquakes, Mud Slides, Forest Fires, High Taxes, Large Number of Homeless, High Cost of Housing. Despite all this there have to be reasons why California is the most populated state in the country by far. Educate me...

George